Copper wire thieves risking electrocution
With scrap prices for copper and aluminum having doubled in the last two years and now at an 18-year high, police have noticed a "dangerous trend" in copper wire thefts from active, high-voltage equipment.
"The disturbing part is wire is being taken from active transformers," Detective Constable Ewen Crook said in a statement.
"In each case, the suspects took the grounding wire and did not touch the live wire. Police are concerned tampering with live wires could result in electrocution."
Crook said the Burlington break and enter squad reported five thefts in the city in October in which one-inch thick copper grounding wire was stolen. Police say they are working with reputable scrap metal dealers and other area police forces to track the thieves and have increased patrols in industrial areas. Police are asking that scrap metal and/or copper wire be secured and protected.
Related News
Ukraine Leans on Imports to Keep the Lights On
UKRAINE - Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine has extended far beyond the battlefield, with critical infrastructure becoming a target. Ukraine's once-robust energy system has sustained significant damage from Russian missile and drone strikes. To cope with these disruptions and maintain power supplies for Ukrainian citizens, the country is turning to record-breaking electricity imports from neighboring European nations.
Prior to the war, Ukraine enjoyed a self-sufficient energy sector, even exporting electricity to neighboring countries. However, targeted attacks on power plants and transmission lines have crippled generation capacity. The situation is particularly dire in eastern and southern Ukraine, where ongoing fighting has…
